City of Hope scientists recently set their course for 2008 at the 28th annual
Research Staff Organization (RSO) Advance, discussing research developments
in areas ranging from neurosciences to HIV.

Held in April in Lake Arrowhead, Calif., the meeting spanned three days and
included a broad range of topics and speakers detailing research efforts at the institution.

In all, more than 25 faculty, students and staff members gave presentations about
ongoing research.

The opening session on April 27 featured a “State of the Beckman Research Institute” address from Richard Jove, Ph.D., director of Beckman Research Institute, and included an instructional presentation on the inner workings of the National Institutes of Health. Steve Novak, Ph.D., director of professional education, ended the evening with a retrospective account of early research at City of Hope.

Scientists tackled technology advancement the next day, with speakers focusing on new DNA sequencing technology, electron microscopy updates and biomedical informatics procedures at City of Hope. An afternoon poster session allowed more informal interaction and discussion between researchers and aimed to facilitate potential collaborations among attendees.

The meeting culminated on April 29 with a brief accounting of the first 15 years of the City of Hope Graduate School of Biological Sciences by Tom LeBon, Ph.D., associate dean of the school, followed by an awards ceremony recognizing outstanding conference presentations by postdoctoral fellows and graduate students.

City of Hope’s RSO hosts the Advance each spring in Lake Arrowhead. The original
committee chose the name “Advance” to suggest the forward-looking goals of the
event. The conference provides an opportunity for scientists to meet in an informal,
congenial atmosphere to exchange ideas and learn about new research approaches
and techniques.